Margaret Graham, Countess of Menteith (c. 1334 – c. 1380) was a Scottish noblewoman. She held the title
Count
Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
ess of
Menteith
Menteith or Monteith ( gd, Mòine Tèadhaich), a district of south Perthshire, Scotland, roughly comprises the territory between the Teith and the Forth. Earlier forms of its name include ''Meneted'', ''Maneteth'' and ''Meneteth''. (Historically ...
in her own right, having inherited the title c. 1360 from her mother,
Mary, Countess of Menteith
Maire inghean Mhuireadhaich or Mary, daughter of Muireadhach II, Mormaer of Menteith, was Countess of Menteith, successor to her sister Isabella (Iosbail). She inherited the title from her father, and married Walter Bailloch, son of Walter Ste ...
, who was married to
Sir John Graham. Graham was styled
Earl
Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. The title originates in the Old English word ''eorl'', meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form ''jarl'', and meant "chieftain", particular ...
of Menteith during his marriage with Mary, whom he predeceased. The Menteith region was situated partially in southwest
Perthshire
Perthshire (locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, ...
and partly in
Stirlingshire
Stirlingshire or the County of Stirling, gd, Siorrachd Sruighlea) is a Counties of Scotland, historic county and registration countyRegisters of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. of Scotland. Its county town is Stirli ...
.
Marriages and Children
![Robert of Albany](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Robert_of_Albany.jpg)
Margaret Graham was married four times, two of her marriages occurring before the age of twenty. She married firstly Sir John Moray, Lord of
Bothwell, (son of
Sir Andrew Moray and Lady
Christina Bruce
Christian or Christina Bruce (c. 1278 – 1356/1357), also known as Christian or Christina de Brus, was a daughter of Marjorie, Countess of Carrick, and her husband, Robert de Brus, '' jure uxoris'' Earl of Carrick, as well as a sister of Robert ...
). Because she and Moray were related within the forbidden degree of kinship, a
papal
The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...
dispensation was sought and received in 1348. Lady Margaret took her husband's surname and was known as Margaret of
Moravia
Moravia ( , also , ; cs, Morava ; german: link=yes, Mähren ; pl, Morawy ; szl, Morawa; la, Moravia) is a historical region in the east of the Czech Republic and one of three historical Czech lands, with Bohemia and Czech Silesia.
The me ...
. Sir John died, probably in late 1351. The couple had no children.
Margaret married secondly
Thomas, 9th Earl of Mar, and once again a papal dispensation was needed due to kinship. However, charging that Margaret was unable to have children, Earl Thomas divorced her after four years, and she returned to live with her mother.
Around 1360, she married thirdly Sir John Drummond of Concraig, a marriage intended to relieve a long-standing feud between their respective clans. Once again Margaret took the surname of her husband. As before, the degree of kinship required a papal dispensation, but since their son John had been born before the couple sought the dispensation, they were required to do
penance
Penance is any act or a set of actions done out of Repentance (theology), repentance for Christian views on sin, sins committed, as well as an alternate name for the Catholic Church, Catholic, Lutheran, Eastern Orthodox, and Oriental Orthodox s ...
. Sir John died quite soon after the dispensation was granted, probably before the year was out.
Margaret’s fourth marriage was to
Robert Stewart, 1st Duke of Albany
Robert Stewart, Duke of Albany (c. 1340 – 3 September 1420) was a member of the Scottish royal family who served as regent (at least partially) to three Scottish monarchs ( Robert II, Robert III, and James I). A ruthless politician, Albany ...
, a son of King
Robert II of Scotland
Robert II (2 March 1316 – 19 April 1390) was King of Scots from 1371 to his death in 1390. The son of Walter Stewart, 6th High Steward of Scotland, and Marjorie, daughter of King Robert the Bruce, he was the first monarch of the House of St ...
and
Elizabeth Mure
Elizabeth Mure (est. born 2 March 1320 - died before May 1355), a member of Clan Muir, was the first wife of Robert, High Steward of Scotland, and Guardian of Scotland (1338–1341 and from October 1346), who later became King Robert II of Scotl ...
of
Rowallan
Rowallan is a historic site in Ormond Beach, Florida, United States. It is located at 253 John Anderson Highway. On October 6, 1988, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.
The Lindsay family
The following is from memo ...
.
Sources disagree on both the number of Duke Robert’s children and their respective mothers, leaving a definitive statement regarding Margaret’s children by Robert unresolved.
The Scots Peerage
''The Scots Peerage'' is a nine-volume book series of the Scottish nobility compiled and edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, published in Edinburgh from 1904 to 1914. The full title is ''The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert ...
acknowledges her to be the mother of only
Murdoch, 2nd Duke of Albany (1362-1425) ''Cracroft’s Peerage'' records her as the mother of six children, one son and five daughters:
* Murdoch Stewart, Duke of Albany, who married Lady Elizabeth, Countess of
Lennox.
* Mary (d. 1420), who married Sir William Abernethy of
Saltoun
East Saltoun and West Saltoun are separate villages in East Lothian, Scotland, about 5 miles (8 kilometres) south-west of Haddington and 20 miles (32 kilometres) east of Edinburgh.
Geography
The villages of East Saltoun and West Saltoun, toge ...
.
* Margaret (d. 1402), who married
Sir John Swinton of
Swinton.
* Joan, who married her third cousin, Robert Stewart, 1st
Lord of Lorne
''For the Child ballad, see The Lord of Lorn and the False Steward.''
Lord of Lorne is a title in the Peerage of Scotland that has been created twice.
;First Creation
The title was first created for Robert Stewart of Durisdeer (died 1403), son ...
.
* Beatrice (d. 1424), who married
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas
James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas, 1st Earl of Avondale (1371 – 24 March 1443), latterly known as James the Gross, and prior to his ennoblement as James of Balvenie, was a late mediaeval Scottish magnate. He was the second son of Archibald Do ...
and 1st Earl of Avonmore.
* Isabella, who married firstly Alexander Leslie, 9th
Earl of Ross
The Earl or Mormaer of Ross was the ruler of the province of Ross in northern Scotland.
Origins and transfers
In the early Middle Ages, Ross was part of the vast earldom of Moray. It seems to have been made a separate earldom in the mid 12th ...
, before 1398, and secondly
Walter de Haliburton, 1st Lord Haliburton of Dirleton
Sir Walter de Haliburton, 1st Lord Haliburton of Dirleton (died circa 1449), Lord High Treasurer of Scotland was a Scottish noble.
Life
The eldest son of Sir John Haliburton of Dirleton (d. 1392), by his spouse Margaret, daughter of Sir John Came ...
between 1402 and 1408.
The Scots Peerage
''The Scots Peerage'' is a nine-volume book series of the Scottish nobility compiled and edited by Sir James Balfour Paul, published in Edinburgh from 1904 to 1914. The full title is ''The Scots Peerage: Founded on Wood's Edition of Sir Robert ...
names a seventh child:
* Janet, who was contracted to wed David de Leon in 1372
Titles
Margaret Graham became Countess of Menteith upon the death of her mother, the previous Countess, who had held the title before her marriage to Sir John Graham, who predeceased her. Margaret held the title in her own right, but upon her marriage to Robert Stewart, her husband was called Duke of Albany and Earl of Monteith. The title Earl of Menteith passed to Margaret’s son, Murdoch, 2nd Duke of Albany, when Robert Stewart died in 1420.
The wife of an earl uses the title countess. Therefore, when married to Thomas, Earl of Mar, Margaret was called Countess of Mar.
Margaret was called Countess of
Fife
Fife (, ; gd, Fìobha, ; sco, Fife) is a council area, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries with Perth and Kinross (i ...
during her marriage with Robert Stewart, who received the title via an agreement between himself and
Isabella
Isabella may refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Isabella (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters
* Isabella (surname), including a list of people
Places
United States
* Isabella, Alabama, an unincorpor ...
, the wife of his deceased brother
Walter
Walter may refer to:
People
* Walter (name), both a surname and a given name
* Little Walter, American blues harmonica player Marion Walter Jacobs (1930–1968)
* Gunther (wrestler), Austrian professional wrestler and trainer Walter Hahn (born 19 ...
. Margaret did not hold this title in her own right. However, since her husband was a member of the royal family, the title Countess of Fife made her “the senior Countess in the realm.”
Margaret was never styled Duchess of Albany because she died before her husband received the title Duke of Albany in 1398.
Death and Burial
Margaret Graham died between 20 July 1372 and 4 May 1380, and was at buried
Inchmahome Priory
Inchmahome Priory is situated on Inchmahome, the largest of three islands in the centre of the Lake of Menteith, close to Aberfoyle, Scotland.
The name "Inchmahome" comes from the Gaelic ''Innis MoCholmaig'', meaning island of St Colmaig.
The ...
,
Perthshire
Perthshire (locally: ; gd, Siorrachd Pheairt), officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, ...
, Scotland.
References
The Red Book of MenteithRetrieved January 2017
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Menteith, Margaret Graham, Countess Of
1380 deaths
Earls or mormaers of Menteith
1334 births
14th-century Scottish earls
Mormaers of Menteith